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How often do you think of negative thoughts in your head, a day? I probably, would have to say about, half of all the thoughts that crossed my mind. You see I have been trying to fight the negative thoughts in my head for quite a long time now, unfortunately I haven't mastered it yet. When I was still studying psychology way back in College, we had this technique called Thought Stopping. It is when you train yourself to yell "STOP", when a negative thought crossed your mind. And then replace that thought with a positive one. I feel that everyone has been doing this technique inadvertently. For one, when you feel the negative thoughts on your head, suddenly you may feel frighten and the natural human tendency is to stop yourself from feeling that pain. So even we do not say STOP out loud, our mind suddenly switch thoughts. It is just amazing that not only science and motivators backed the principle of teaching your mind, but the bible as well.

Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
Romans 12:12

The negative thoughts in our minds will never go away, but it is for us to take control of our mind. Positive Affirmations could help us retrain our mind. Most of the times we feel so down, the reason why negative thoughts and feelings embarked our whole being. All the failures, frustrations, heartaches consumes us, and it is easy to have a pity party rather than to uplift ourselves right? But God says that is not the right thing to do. Let's start to take control of our mind and take control over our situation and our life. Blame game might be the easiest way out egotistically, however it is not going to work in the long run. Because at the end of the day, we will still live the life we choose and not the other people's choices that matters.

So how do we start training our mind? Like I've said it is important that we first and foremost forgive and love ourselves. No one is more capable of doing that, than our own selves. Get to know ourselves, love our good and bad side. It is but imperative for us to accept our humanity, that we are capable of doing wrong things. Ditch out what the teachers and parents and elders taught us, to be self righteous. We are humans, descendants of Adam and Eve and like them we are capable of committing mistakes and being deceived. Truth be told, our own acceptance is what matters most.

Making affirmations daily can help us retrain our mind. Every time, some bad thoughts crossed our mind abruptly think of it's antidote. For example, when we feel that we cannot succeed in life, instead of saying I can't, say I can. Or better yet memorize Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If you are down with illness, instead of saying I'll never get well", say "God is restoring my health back to me". All these things once in a while visited our minds, just to shake our faith and our being. I for one, have been a living testimony of God's small miracles. I will never get into much details but when I feel low and demotivated, I would always negate that with me thinking that God provides. God providence is for everyone, He doesn't only provides us with tangible things. He lifts us up when we are down, He gives us courage and hope to continue to live. Had He not shown His mercy and compassion, half of the people around the world would have been insane. Yet, He restores everything our strength, courage and faith all comes from Him.

And so no matter how bad our lives may have been, fret not I believe God is a living God. It doesn't matter how bad it looks, or how many people have told you no, or how long it's been that way. God still has the final say. Our setbacks most of the time is our comeback to better things. And we are here where we are now, because our TEST is going to be our own TESTIMONY of the goodness of GOD.

DREAM, BELIEVE, SURVIVE